Crank
A Crank is a slang term for someone who has been infected by the Flare virus. By the time they are referred to as Cranks, they have generally begun to lose their sanity becoming a zombie like creature. A deep feeling of hatred is often felt by Cranks towards those who are uninfected or Immune to the Flare. When they have got to the point where sanity is lost, they are referred to 'Past The Gone'. A Crank develops numerous tell-tale symptoms soon after being infected by the virus. These can include (but are not limited to): irrational behavior, mental instability, mood-swings, temperamental anger and irritation, paranoia, aggression and animal-like behaviors (such as becoming cannibalistic). The first symptoms are usually painful headaches and moments of madness, nonsense, and insanity. Cranks' appearances(in the movie) are skeletal, black-veined, and long armed. Underground cranks that are fully past the "Gone" sit in the tunnels used for refuge from the Flare and turn into twisted hideous zombie-like monsters. In the tunnels, blood-red vine-like adaptations of the flare grow towards and from the cranks resulting in a terrifying web. A Crank is known to be past the "Gone" when he or she loses all sense of rational behavior and no longer responds to reasoning. Often before this stage, they are still capable of speech and can wield weapons quite well, although to some extent of hysteria. The rate at which the virus worsens is dependable upon how much activity is taking place in the victim's brain. An extremely active brain, often triggered by stress, will quicken the rate at which the virus grows. Due to this, a treatment (not a cure) known as the Bliss was created to sedate a person's senses and neural activity. The costly drug however is only affordable by the extremely wealthy and only delays the inevitable.The Bliss slows the brain's activity, making a person seem more relaxed in a situation. It's quite easy to tell if a person as been taking the drug. If a Crank gets caught taking the Bliss, he or she will be taken away. Series |-|The Maze Runner= At the end of the story, as the Gladers are rushing to the bus, Thomas is confronted by a crank, raving on about how she will save the world. Thomas is terrified at the sight of the Crank. Thomas is then ushered onto the bus away from her, and as the bus leaves it runs her over, causing the driver no apparent concern. |-|The Scorch Trials= As the Gladers are crossing the Scorch they come upon a seemingly abandoned city. However, as they take shelter in one of the buildings they are confronted by a bunch of Cranks, who reveal that the city is inhabited by them at various stages of insanity. It is revealed that some Cranks are sent to the city so as not to spread the Flare any further. In the movie, before Teresa reveals she has contacted WICKED she tells Thomas she was given all of her memories back. She talks about how her mother had gotten very sick and she thought she would just get better. A night she would here these terrible screams coming from her room until one night it stopped. She went to her room to see if she was ok and she saw blood everywhere . Her mother told her she was better now and everything was going to be ok, that she took her eyes out and didn't see the images anymore. Teresa's mind had been scarred and all she wanted was to find a cure no matter what the cost. |-|The Death Cure= At Denver, Thomas, Newt, Minho, Brenda and Jorge find that the city is locked from the Cranks. Any Cranks discovered are sent to the Crank Palace, where Newt is also sent. The Palace is filled with Cranks, many dangerous and angry at the group. Later, a group of the Cranks escape the Palace and break into the city along a highway, destroying cars along the way. Thomas encounters Newt here once again, and eventually fulfills Newt's final request written on the note he left for Thomas by shooting him in the head before he progresses any further into becoming a Crank. |-|The Kill Order= The name likely originated from Crankheads, who were users of a certain drug in the twenties. The drug had become stronger and stronger, and eventually sent people nuts and became complete psychos who never recovered. Alec tells Mark that the way the people in the street are behaving reminds him of a Crankhead party. Since no other mention of the origins of the name Crank are mentioned throughout the series, this is the most likely origin. The Toad mentions that he has things in his brain, which was one of the first symptoms of him being a Crank. Known Cranks * Winston (movie) * Newt * A.D. Janson * Jackson * Mark * Trina * Toad * Misty * Darnell * Blondie * Ponytail * Tall and Ugly * Long Hair * Brenda (movie) * Barkley * Alec Category:Cranks